Combination expansion tank valve



' June 18, 1963 1' A. BEACH COMBINATION EXPANSION TANK VALVE 2 Sheets-'Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1960 June 18, 1963 T A. BEACH 3,094,143

COMBINATION EXPANSION TANK VALVE FLled'June 23, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

F fg. 5.

INVENTOR. TAW/YM!) 3576// Patented June 18, 1963 Tice 3,094,143 CQMBINATION EXPANSION TANK VALVE T Arnold Eeach, 59 Bemis Road, Weston, Mass. Filed .lune 23, 196i), Ser. No. 38,249 1 Claim. (fill. 137-588) The present invention relates to a valve and especially to a valve -for use in controlling the water in filling an expansion tank.

One of the main purposes of the invention is to provide a combination expansion tank valve which can be adjusted to control the water when an lexpansion tank is being iilled, and wherein the valve can also be set or adjusted so as to permit the water to be removed and wherein the air in .the tank can be replaced or replenished so as to prevent vacuum hold back on the water in the tank.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a combination 'expansion tank valve which includes a tapered seating valve therein, and wherein there is also provided a ball seating seal arrangement which prevents water from spilling back through the air tube, and in addition the combination expansion tank valve of the present invention is constructed so that if water pressure becomes excessive in the lexpansion tank, pressure will push down on a movable valve member to compress a spring so as to permit water to pass out of a port or opening so as to relieve excess pressure temporarily and at the same time provide a warning or signal means regarding the conditions present in the system.

A still further object `or purpose of the invention is to provide an improved combination expansion tank valve which will be durable and eiiicient in use, one which will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects and advantages in View, the invention consists of a novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed land illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Iforming a part of this specification, and in which drawings:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the combination expansion tank valve installed in a hot water heating system in a building.

FIGURE 2 is .an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the combination expansion tank valve of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the parts separated or disassembled.

FIGURE 4 is a `fragmentary sectional view showing the valve in drain position.

FIGURE 5 is .a view similar to 'FIGURE 4, but showing the valve in a different position.

Referring in detail to thedrawings, the numeral indicates the combination expansion tank valve of the present invention and in FIGURE l there is illustrated a use of the valve 10' wherein it will be seen that the numeral 11 indicates a hot water heating boiler for heating radiators, and a heating means 9 is adapted to be connected to radiators on all of the various floors of the building. The numeral `12. indicates -a portion of a building in which the various elements are located, Aand the numeral l13 indicates a return ilow from the radiators, while the numeral 14 indicates a conduit which is connected between the heating main 9 and the valve 10, and the numeral 15 indicates a water -supply line for the heating system. The expansion tank 1-6 may be supported in a suitable location in the building by means of brackets or the like as indicated by the numeral 17.

As shown in the drawings the combination expansion tank valve 10 of the presen-t invention includes a body member 1S which is provided with an upstanding portion 1 9, FIGURE I2. The upstanding .portion 19 of the body member 18 is provided with an upper threaded end 20, and arranged below the threaded end 20 is a shoulder 21 having at lfaces whereby suitable tools such as a wrench can be arranged in engagement therewith. The interior of the portion 19 is hollow so as to provide a passageway 22 lfor a purpose to be later described. The body Imember 18 is also provided with opposed fluid inlet and outlet fittings 23 and 24, and a hose or conduit 25 is adapted to be connected to the outlet fitting 24, while the iitting 23 is .adapted to be suitably connected to the conduit 14, as for example as shown in the drawings.

There is provided in the interior of the :body member 1S a tapered valve seat which is indicated generally by the numeral 26, :and the valve seat 26 includes upper and lower .separated tapered sections 27 .and 28, FIGURE 3. The numeral 29 indicates a tapered valve member which is rotatably and vertically movable in the valve seat 26, and the valve member 29 has a closed bottom as indicated by the numeral 30, while the upper end of the valve member 2.9 is open. The interior of the valve member 29 is |hollow as indicated by the numeral 3d, so that the interior 31 communicates with the lower portion of the passageway Z2. The valve member 29 further includes a -side wall portion 32 which is provided with a slot 33 therein, FIGURE 2.

As shown in the drawings an externally threaded skirt or ilange 34 depends trom the body member 18, and the skirt 34 is provided with a hollow interior which deiines a bore or chamber 35 that communicates with the lower end of the valve seat 26, FIGURE 3. A sleeve 36 threadedly engages the Iskirt 34, and the lsleeve 36 is pr0- vided with a shouldered portion 37 on its upper end whereby .a suitable tool such as a wrench can engage the iiat surfaces of the shoulder 37 in order to conveniently rotate the sleeve 36. The upper inner portion of the sleeve 35 is recessed as at 3S, and a sealing member or washer 39 is positioned in the bottom `of the recess 38, and there is provided a coil spring `40 which engages the bottom wall 3i) of the valve member 2.9` as `for example as shown in FIGURE 2. The sleeve 36 is provided with a port or opening 41 in the inter-mediate portion thereof. The numeral I42 indicates packing which is arranged adjacent the lower end of the sleeve 36, and a gland nut or retainer 43 serves to maintain the packing `42 in place contiguous to the lower end of lthe sleeve 36.

The numeral 44 indicates a hollow vertically disposed tube which extends through t-he gland nut 43 and through the sleeve 36, and this tube `44 also extends through the valve member 29 and through the passageway 22 in the upstanding portion 19, and the valve member 29 and tube 44 are secured together in any suitable manner. The tube 44 is provided with an aperture 45 which is mounted for movement into and out of registry or alignment with the por-t 41 in the sleeve 36, as for example as shown in FIGURE 2. A plug 46 closes the lower end of the hollow tu-be `44, anda handle or knob 47 is affixed to the bottom of the tube 44 in any suitable manner, so that by manually gripping the handle 47 the tube 44 can be rotated in order to turn the Valve member 29 in the seat 26.

A fitting 4S is suitably affixed to the upper end of the tube 44, and mounted in the ,fitting -48 is a support membe.; 49 which has a vertically disposed passageway 50 therein, and there is provided an arcuate valve seat 51 adjacent the upper end of the support member 49. A ball valve S2 is mounted for movement into and out of bridging or closing relation with respect -to the valve seat 51 and passageway Si?, and the ball valve 52 is normally urged or biased down into engagement with the seat l51 by means of a spring member 53. The upper end of the fitting 48 may be closed or turned inwardly as indicated by the numeral S4 so as to provide a retainer for the spring 3 Y 53, and an aperture or opening 55 is arranged in the top portion 54 of the tting 48.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a combination expansion tank valve, and it is to be noted that the valve `1t) can be used in different systems wherein water which is to be heated for the purpose of heating a building or other area. The valve is adapted to be arranged as shown in FIGURE 'il so that its upper threaded end threadedly engages la suitable yboss or opening in the bottom of the expansion tank 16, and with the parts Iarranged las shown in FIGURE 2 for example, water yfrom the tank 16 will drain down through the passageway 22 and then pass through the interior 31 and this water will then pass out through the slot 33 and out through the tting 24 and then through the hose 25 thus draining for disposal. At the same time, with the parts arranged as shown in FIGURE 2 air can enter through the port `41 and then Ithrough the aperture 45 and this air can then pass upwardly through the hollow tube 44 and then through the passageway 50, and as the Water in the tank '16 is passing downwardly through the passageway `22, it will be `seen that a vacuum Ipressure will be present above the water in the tank and this will have the effect of lifting the ball valve 52 against the `force of the spring 53 and with the ball valve 52 in raised position, the -air can enter the tank through the passageway 50 and through the aperture 55 so as to displace the water which is being drained out of the expansion tank.

The view shown in FIGURE 4 corresponds to the view shown in FIGURE 2 so that it will be seen that the water can pass out through the slot 33 and then through the itting 24. In FIGURE 5 the valve member 29 is shown in a shifted position which is 180 degrees yout of phase with the position shown in FIGURE 4 so that the slot 33 is in registry with the tting `23 instead of being in registry or alignment with the fitting 24. Thus, with the parts arranged as shown in FIGURE 5, the water from the conduit 14 will enter through `the fitting 23 and then pass in through the slot 33 and then pass upwardly through the valve interior 31 and then pass upwardly through the passageway 22 and this water will then enter the tank 16. The spring S3 will normally urge the ball valve 52 into closed or bridging relation with respect to the valve seat 5-1. The tube 44 has the handle 47 axed thereto in any suitable manner, and the tube 44 is suitably secured to the valve member 29 so that as the ltube 44 is rotated by means of the handle l47 the valve member 29 will likewise be rotated. The spring 40 serves to urge or bias the valve member 29 upwardly into snug engagement with the tapered valve seat 26.

Suitable material can be used for making the various parts, and the size and shape of the various elements can be changed or varied as desired or required.

While there has been described a preferred embodiment of the in vention and I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain alterations and changes may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates, during the manufacture or use of the same, and therefore, the right to make such alterations and changes as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim is reserved.

What is claimed is:

A combination expansion tank valve comprising a body member including Ian upstanding portion having an upper externally threaded end, said upstanding portion having `an inner vertically disposed passageway therein, a shoulder on said body member below said threaded end, said body member including a riluid inlet and a uid outlet, a tapered seat in said body member, .a rotary tapered valve member resiliently held into engagement with said seat by means of a coil spring engaging the lower end of said valve member, said tapered valve member having a closed lower end and an open top, and the interior of the tapered valve member being hollow and the interior of the tapered valve member communicating with the passageway in said upstanding portion, said tapered valve member also including a side wall portion having a slot therein, an externally threaded skirt depending from said body member, said skirt having `a hollow interior which defines a cylindrical bore that communicates with the lower end of the valve seat, a sleeve threadedly engaging said skirt and said sleeve including an upper shouldered portion, a sealing element mounted in the upper portion of the sleeve, there being a port in the intermediate portion of said sleeve, a hollow vertically disposed tube extending through said sleeve, and said tube also extending through the tapered valve member and through the passageway in the upstanding portion of the body member, said tube lbeing xedly secured to said tapered valve member, there being an aperture in said tube mounted for movement into and out of registry with the ports in said sleeve, `a plug closing a lower end of said tube, a handle connected to the bottom portion of the tube, a fitting on the upper end of the tube, a support member in said fitting provided with a vertically disposed passageway yand :an upper arcuate seat, and a spring pressed ball valve mounted for movement into and out of opened and closed relation with respect to said arcuate seat.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 173,695 Varwig Feb. 15, 1876 408,617 Hay Aug. 6, 1886 y1,383,100 Green June 28, 1921 2,018,853 Hitchcock Oct. 29, 1935 2,107,704 Kronquest Feb. 8, 1938 2,448,206 Bailey Aug. 31, 1948 2,770,402 Quam Nov. 13, 1956 2,810,398 Carlson Oct. 22, 1957 

